What to put in your medical Business Profile on Google
Key take-aways
Few industries are as personal as healthcare. People are rarely more vulnerable than when they're in a doctor's office sharing intimate details about their life. This means that running a successful medical practice requires integrity, trust, and outstanding clinical care. But these days, having an online presence so people can find you is almost as important as what happens when they arrive on-site.
Having a Business Profile on Google can help medical practices appear more credible, answer common questions, and post educational content. Learn how to make the most of yours with these top tips for medical listings.
1. Optimise your digital presence with a Business Profile on Google
2. Upload photos of your practice
3. Share a complete list of services
4. Provide answers to common questions
5. Create educational content
6. Add a “book appointment” button
7. Respond to reviews
Research shows that complete profiles are twice as likely to be perceived as credible, so fill in every section and add as much information as possible.
1. Optimise your digital presence with Google My Business
Medical practices are built on trust, and prospective patients want to know that they're in good hands before scheduling a visit. Today's consumers, however, are just as likely to look for health advice and seek out practitioners online as in person. Research has shown that people in Canada, for example, are equally likely to consult a search engine as talk to their doctor when they encounter a health problem.
With so many prospective patients searching for information and healthcare providers online, it's essential for businesses operating in this space to optimise their digital presence. Creating a Business Profile on Google is free and can help you do just that by sharing the following information on Google Maps and in search results:
- Your business name
- Your business logo
- A description of your business
- Your business address
- Your open hours, including variations due to public holidays
- Your contact information
Research shows that complete profiles are twice as likely to be perceived as credible, so fill in every section and add as much information as possible.
Reviews
Reviews on Google provide valuable information about your business to both you and your customers. Business reviews appear next to your listing in Maps and Search, and can help your business stand out on Google.
2. Upload photos of your practice
Business Profiles offer space to share photos of both the interior and exterior areas of your physical location, which many prospective patients will be keen to see before deciding whether to book an appointment or drop in for a visit. Upload photos of your building and facilities, including examination and treatment rooms, reception and other public-facing areas, waiting rooms and on-site car or bike parking facilities.
Seeing images of a practice can make prospective patients feel more confident about choosing you over other options, and will let them know what to expect when they arrive for an appointment. Ensure that areas are clean and tidy when the photos are taken, and ensure the resulting photos are clear, well-lit and make your space seem professional and inviting.
3. Share a complete list of services
Prospective patients often wait to search for a medical practice until they need one. Then, at that moment, they need to know that you offer exactly what they're looking for, whether it's a dental check-up or a sports physical — fast.
To help attract those looking for what you offer, include a complete list of your services in your Business Profile on Google. Be thorough, but choose your words carefully: Most prospective patients don't have a medical degree. If your list of services includes too many confusing medical terms, they may not find what they're looking for and decide to go elsewhere. A Leeds dentist that specialises in maxillofacial surgery, for example, should explain their most common procedures are tooth extraction, dental implants, and jaw surgery. A Manchester ophthalmologist should include the term eye doctor.
Dashboard
A visual and customisable summary of your account's performance data.
4. Provide answers to common questions
Beyond wanting to know your hours of operation, prospective patients often have plenty of other questions — from how to get to your office to how frequently they should visit. For common queries, you can create questions and provide answers in the Q&A section of your profile. Doing so will give prospective patients more information before reaching out and save your staff time on addressing the same points repeatedly. The questions that appear on your business listing can be up-voted by users and those that prove most popular are more likely to appear in the Knowledge Panel section of your listing, which is the box that shows up on Google Maps or on Google Search results pages.
A medical practice might include questions and answers addressing queries such as:
- What to do if potential patients have an emergency
- What potential patients should bring with them the first time they visit
- Links to reliable or approved self-help resources
5. Create educational content
People like to stay informed about health matters and building a knowledgeable community around your practice may result in happier visitors, and even help to reduce last-minute and urgent visits. Consider posting short pieces of content on your profile to help educate your existing and potential patients.
You could write posts on topics such as:
- Seasonal tips for staying healthy
- Age or occupation-specific tips
- Travel vaccinations during the holiday season
Educational content can also help you get noticed online. If a potential patient in Cardiff wants the best dentist in the area and sees that one frequently posts about dental hygiene where others do not, they may feel the one that seems like an expert is more attractive.
6. Add a "Book Appointment" button
You can make a prospective patient's search easier by reducing the number of steps to book an appointment. Add your phone number, your website URL, or, the fastest option, a "Book Appointment" button that connects your listing directly to your appointment booking system.
Google My Business also includes a feature that allows prospective customers to message businesses through their listing, but this is not always suitable for medical practices. External messaging options sometimes opens up the possibility that patients could accidentally disclose sensitive information which may violate UK patient privacy laws, so check the relevant regulations and any internal rules before utilising this feature.
7. Respond to reviews
Having a Business Profile on Google offers the chance for patients to leave reviews for your practice. When somebody does this, taking the time to say thank you shows that you're engaged and attentive. If you encourage happy patients to review you frequently, you'll also accumulate a powerful stock of social proof that can help attract new potential customers looking for the same high quality of care.
Negative reviews can offer a positive opportunity as well, giving you the chance to resolve the complaints of unhappy patients and respond constructively to the feedback. Some may revise their review, but even if they don't, other patients will see that you've replied thoughtfully and are willing to have an honest conversation. This can only reflect well on your practice.
As today's patients increasingly look online for health information, many expect to find your medical practice there. To get found and build your community, fill out your free Business Profile so you can demonstrate your expertise and engage existing and potential patients in a healthy conversation online just as you do offline.